Field Evaluation of Pyridalyl against Tobacco Caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Bt Cotton

Pyridalyl was evaluated @ 50, 75 and 100 g a.i. ha⁻¹ for the control of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) in 5 different experiments at farmers’ field on Bt cotton during 2005 to 2007 crop seasons along with thiodicarb @ 468.75 g a.i. ha⁻¹ and quinalphos @ 500 g a.i. ha⁻¹ as standard checks and untreated control. Based on the mean data of three years, pyridalyl @ 75 g a.i. ha⁻¹ rendered effective control of S. litura on Bt cotton resulting in 84.2 and 90.2% reduction in larval population over untreated control after 1^st spray and 2^nd spray, respectively. Seed cotton yield was also significantly higher in this treatment (24.83 q ha⁻¹) as compared to standard checks and untreated control.